This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Interesting hypothesis...



Multiple sclerosis and hepatitis B vaccination: Adding the credibility of molecular biology to an unusual level of clinical and epidemiological evidence.

Med Hypotheses. 2006;66(1):84-6. Epub 2005 Sep 19.
Comenge Y, Girard M.
23 rue du Commerce, 75015-Paris, France.

In spite of a huge number of reports of severe hazards after injection of hepatitis B vaccine (HBV), the issue is regularly raised that no mechanism is available for the development of central demyelinating disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). A number of convergent facts, however, suggests that the manufacturing process could introduce HBV polymerase as a contaminant, and then trigger an auto-immune process against myelin in some vaccinated subjects.

Of great significance, this hypothesis is likely to give the missing link to account for the considerable body of clinical and epidemiological evidence documenting that, for a drug used with a preventive purpose, HBV has an unusual potential to induce central neurological disorders amongst others unwanted side-effects.

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I had the first MS attack between my second and third hepatitis B vaccine injection following an incredible "flu" in 1987. I had the ON in 1993. Three years ago I was hospitalized because of the brain edema that accompanied myriad lesions in the white matter. At that time I was the most pitiful creation in the universe.

Neurologically I recovered after several months on Lipitor which I continued till last February when I switched to the Wheldon's protocol. Antibiotics greatly improved my thinking and memory. I believe in the infectious cause of my problem now, although for a while I thought I was "done" by the vaccination.
Barbara

Should we start a poll? It would be interesting to know how many of us with MS have been treated with Hepatitis B vaccine. It would also be interesting to know how many of us with MS have had mononucleosis, aka EBV. Maybe there's a group of us that have had both? Does this increase our risk factor for MS perhaps when combined with a genetic susceptibility? I don't know. However, I do know that I fit into that last category of having both EBV and treatment with hepatitis B vaccine. Is there anyone else interested in a poll?

NHE

It might be difficult to find out how many people actually had mono. EBV is quite unremarkable in childhood.

NHE,

thisisms has already undertaken a poll -

http://www.thisisms.com/modules.php?nam ... s&pollID=4

50% said that they had had EBV as a child or adult. But many people don't know that they have had it and apparently up to 95% of people are infected at some stage in their life (mainly teenagers / young adults). The timeframe when people get EBV would certianly fit with the age profile of MS (even taking account of delay between getting EBV and the visible on-set of MS).


So a virus (perhaps EBV) has a strong case to support it:

(i) age of dx of MS (often in 20s) similar to EBV infection.
(ii) outbreaks of MS which suggest an infectious agent.
(iii) children with MS show much higher raate of exposure to EBV.
(iv) the limited effect of the immuno-suppressant drugs (which are only dealing with the immune response.
(v) MRI scans which show on-going activity (which might suggest an on-going infection).


Questions remain to be answered - why females get MS more than males?
Why the different forms of MS? Why the different levels of severity? Could it be more than one virus triggering MS (for different people)?

A viral infection such as MS could explain the rise of MS. Massive urbanisation over the last 100 years would allow the virus to spread more easily. Social attitudes have also changed - girls and boys probably start kissing earlier and with more partners than was probably the case in Victorian times.

I'm not sure why those in northern countries (or far south) have higher rates of MS. Whether it is the genetic susceptibility or whether EBV does not do so well in hot climates?

Lots and lots of questions for MS researchers to research. But these are the areas they need to focus on - I'm a bit sick and tired of research papers telling me that mice with EAE showed less severe disease course if they were injected with diet coke and grass cuttings.


To all the UK / European users of this site - have a good Christmas. To the US and Canadian users - happy holiday season.


Maybe 2006 will bring some good news for those with this disease.

I was diagnosed last August. Not my favorite summer vacation but I honestly believe I am a better person as a result. What a kick in the butt! I have not figured it all out yet but know that in some crazy way this is going to help me help others better. Anyway, I have been checking your site from time to time, reading your comments and suggestions and enjoying your humor. The Hep B thing caught my eye because I received two Hep A shots before I went to Africa last year (along with Typhoid, Yellow Fever, and Tetanus). A month after the second Hep A shot I started having MS symptoms and was diagnosed two months later. My Neuro told me that Hepatitis vaccines sometimes cause molecular mimicry and your body freaks out and gets confused and attacks itself as a reaction to the vaccine. He said they have suspected both Hep A & B vaccines as a possible link to MS for years but no one will admit it. Can you imagine? Sort of surreal and reminds me of the literature the CDC published early on about the link between tainted Polio vaccines in Africa and the AIDS virus... and then they pulled that issue of Rolling Stone Mag off of the shelves. Sounds like a movie but it sure makes you wonder. BTW, I also had mono when I was twenty something. Nice to meet you all. Peace and Joy~